Alexander Duff

Alexander Duff Alexander Duff (1806-1878)

The Church of Scotland's first appointed missionary to India was Alexander Duff. Born in Moulin in Perthshire his academic career was at St Andrews. He carried off the top honour for Greek Latin. Logic and moral philosophy. He also gained the essay prize for best translation into Latin of Plato” Apology to Socrates. he was indeed a excellent scholar.

He was in debited to the encouragement of Dr Thomas Chalmers who took up the post of Professor of moral philosophy in 1823. It was Chalmers the most prominent evangelical in Scotland who later became a national leader that inspired Duff in to the mission and its work in the Church. It was Doctor Ferrie of St Andrews who proposed Duff as the first missionary of the Church of Scotland in Calcutta. Duff felt at this time in 1829 ready to be sent to India. Before departing for India he was married to Anne Scott Drysdale (July1829) and ordained on the 12 August of that year. Next month Duff and his new wife boarded the Lady Holland at Leith for London and on route the trials started with a ship wreck off Cape Town with no loss of life. The continued later on the Moira which also had difficulties after a cyclone, which left them all having to wade, to shore through the undignified mud of India.

At a little over 24 and two narrow escapes not to mention the many dangerous escapes as a youth Duff was obviously being preserved to carry out the mission work. Duff, the educationalist went on to attract the attention of many including the governor of the East India company and indeed Gladstone. He was the founder of the University of Calcutta.

 

It is unfortunate that his efforts on education and mission have been neglected in the last 100 years. He had several travels back to Scotland and it is noted that in 1839 he raised the foreign giving for mission from £1200 to £ 7,538.

On one return to Scotland Duff found himself in the middle of the debate that would grow into the “Disruption”. In early 1843 he was still silent on how he would act in respect to his loyalty to the mission, Church and conscience. He in due time sided with the Free Church and was instrumental in raising the first endowment and to become the first professor of the Free Church College Edinburgh of Mission and Education.

In 1871 Lord Shaftesbury wrote to Duff asking if his name could be added to the list of vice-presidents of the Bible Society. Duff was highly honoured and accepted. His life had been a life of many seasons in Scotland in India, married and widowed early. He also advocated the mission work outside of Scotland.

It is unfortunate that Alexander Duffs contribution to the Church, abroad has not been greatly recognised. At his death the tributes showed what a godly man he was- Gladstone acknowledged his intelligence energy devotion and spirituality and likened him to William Carey.

 

Duff, Unfortunately his work... not greatly recognised.